A bimodal four‐parameter lognormal linear model of soil water repellency persistence

Soil water repellency may be characterized in terms of the delayed infiltration time of a water droplet resting on the soil surface, which is, water drop penetration time (WDPT), or repellency persistence. Such repellency persistence varies nonlinearly with soil water content (θ_g), although no models have been proposed to reproduce the variation of WDPT with θ_g in soils. Dynamic factor analysis (DFA) is used to identify two common patterns of unexplained variability in a scattered dataset of WDPT versus θ_g measurements. A four‐parameter lognormal distribution was fitted to both common patterns obtained by DFA, and these were combined additively in a weighted multiple linear bimodal model. We show how such an empirical model is capable of reproducing a large variety of WDPT versus θ_g curve shapes (N = 80) both within a wide range of measured WDPTs (0–17 000 s) and for samples with organic matter content ranging from 21·7 to 80·6 g (100 g)^?1. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Application of connectivity theory to model the impact of terrace failure on runoff in semi‐arid catchments

Terraces are a common feature of Mediterranean landscapes. In many places they are no longer maintained so that the number of intact terraces is in prolonged decline. The aim of this paper is to examine the effect of terrace removal and failure on hydrological connectivity and peak discharge in an agricultural catchment (475 ha) in south‐east Spain. The situation of 2006 is compared to that in 1956 and to a scenario without terraces (S2). The spatial distribution of concentrated flow was mapped after four storms in 2006. The degree of connectivity was quantified by means of connectivity functions and related to storm characteristics, land use and topography. For 1956, 2006 and scenario S2, connectivity functions and peak discharge to the river were determined for a storm with a return period of 8·2 years. The results show that the decrease in intact terraces has led to a strong increase in connectivity and discharge. The contributing area to the river system has increased by a factor 3·2 between 1956 and 2006. If all terraces were to be removed (scenario S2), the contributing area may further increase by a factor 6·0 compared to 2006. The spatial extent of concentrated flow and the degree of connectivity are related to storm magnitude as expressed by the erosivity index (EI₃₀). Although a large part of the concentrated flow (25–50%) occurs on dirt roads, it appears that croplands become a major source of runoff with increasing rainfall. The results suggest that connectivity theory can be used to improve rainfall–runoff models in semi‐arid areas. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Coupled surface water–groundwater model and its application in the arid Shiyang River basin,China

The planning and management of water resources in the Shiyang River basin, China require a tool for assessing the impact of groundwater and stream use on water supply reliabilities and improving many environment‐related problems such as soil desertification induced by recent water‐related human activities. A coupled model, integrating rule‐based lumped surface water model and distributed three‐dimensional groundwater flow model, has been established to investigate surface water and groundwater management scenarios that may be designed to restore the deteriorated ecological environment of the downstream portion of the Shiyang River basin. More than 66% of the water level among 24 observation wells have simulation error less than 1·0 m. The overall trend of the temporal changes of simulated and observed surface runoff at the Caiqi gauging station remains almost the same. The calibration was considered satisfactory. Initial frameworks for water allocation, including agricultural water‐saving projects, water diversion within the basin and inter‐basin water transfer, reducing agricultural irrigation area and surface water use instead of groundwater exploitation at the downstream were figured out that would provide a rational use of water resources throughout the whole basin. Sixteen scenarios were modelled to find out the most appropriate management strategies. The results showed that in the two selected management options, the groundwater budget at the Minqin basin was about 1·4 × 10⁸ m³/a and the ecological environment would be improved significantly, but the deficit existed at the Wuwei basin and the number was about 0·8 × 10⁸ m³/a. Water demand for domestic, industry and urban green area would be met in the next 30 years, but the water shortage for meeting the demand of agricultural water use in the Shiyang River basin was about 2·2 × 10⁸ m³/a. It is suggested that more inter‐basin water transfer should be required to obtain sustainable water resource use in the Shiyang River basin. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Heterogeneous aquitard properties in sedimentary successions in the Apennine chain: case studies in southern Italy

The aim of this study was to analyse the hydrogeologic role of siliciclastic deposits and marly‐clayey‐calcareous successions within the carbonate Apennine chain (southern Italy). The study was carried out along the northern part of the Matese carbonate massif through (1) the hydraulic characterization of siliciclastic rocks in a test site, by means of Lugeon tests, and (2) the identification of the groundwater flow system discharging at an important spring located within a marly‐clayey‐calcareous succession in a second test site, by means of isotopic investigations. The results showed that the investigated siliciclastic deposits and marly‐clayey‐calcareous successions may allow significant groundwater discharge from carbonate aquifers. Thus, they do not everywhere behave as aquitard, contrary to the previous model. Instead, groundwater flows through the upper part of these successions, where stress release fracturing enhanced rock permeability in the near‐surface bedrock. Thus, these successions may locally be a new groundwater source within the southern Apennine chain. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Streamflow estimation using optimal regional dependency function

The determination of spatial dependency of regionalized variable (ReV) is important in engineering studies. Regional dependency function that leads to calculation of weighting coefficients is required in order to make regional or point‐wise estimations. After obtaining this dependency function, it is possible to complete missing records in the time series and locate new measurement station. Also determination of regional dependency function is also useful to understand the regional variation of ReV. Point Cumulative Semi‐Variogram (PCSV) is another methodology to understand the regional dependency of ReV related to the magnitude and the location. However, this methodology is not useful to determine the weighting coefficient, which is required to make regional and point‐wise estimations. However, in Point Semi‐Variogram (PSV) proposed here, weighting coefficient depends on both magnitude and location. Although the regional dependency function has a fluctuating structure in PSV approach, this function gradually increases with distance in PCSV. The study area is selected in Mississippi river basin with 38 streamflow stations used for PCSV application before. It is aimed to compare two different geostatistical models for the same data set. PSV method has an ability to determine the value of variable along with optimum number of neighbour stations and influence radius. PSV and slope PSV approaches are compared with the PCSV. It was shown that slope slope point semi‐variogram (SPSV) approaches had relative error below 5%, and PSV and PCSV methods revealed relative errors below 10%. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Impact of road‐generated storm runoff on a small catchment response

The impact of road‐generated runoff on the hydrological response of a zero‐order basin was monitored for a sequence of 24 storm events. The study was conducted in a zero‐order basin (C1; 0·5ha) with an unpaved mountain road; an adjacent unroaded zero‐order basin (C2; 0·2 ha) with similar topography and lithology was used to evaluate the hydrological behaviour of the affected zero‐order basin prior to construction of the road. The impact of the road at the zero‐order basin scale was highly dependent on the antecedent soil‐moisture conditions, total storm precipitation, and to some extent rainfall intensity. At the beginning of the monitoring period, during dry antecedent conditions, road runoff contributed 50% of the total runoff and 70% of the peak flow from the affected catchment (C1). The response from the unroaded catchment was almost insignificant during dry antecedent conditions. As soil moisture increased, the road exerted less influence on the total runoff from the roaded catchment. For very wet conditions, the influence of road‐generated runoff on total outflow from the roaded catchment diminished to only 5·4%. Both catchments, roaded and unroaded, produced equivalent amount of outflow during very wet antecedent conditions on a unit area basis. The lag time between the rainfall and runoff peaks observed in the unroaded catchment during the monitoring period ranged from 0 to 4 h depending on the amount of precipitation and antecedent conditions, owing mainly to much slower subsurface flow pathways in the unroaded zero‐order basin. In contrast, the lag time in the roaded zero‐order basin was virtually nil during all storms. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

河北省地震局遥测台网日志统一管理系统

日志在遥测台网工作中的意义重大,为了更好地管理遥测台网的日志,研制了遥测台网日志统一管理系统。本系统将对目前台网产生的日志进行统一管理,为工作人员记录日志和利用日志检查工作提供了方便。     

乐都台气氡资料的分析

简要总结了乐都地震台水氡观测资料的利用价值、存在的问题,并对存在的问题进行了客观分析。乐都地震台的水氡观测改为断层气观测后,对气氡观测值的年变规律、地表水与地下水、地下水与承压水的水力联系进行了分析。     

案例推理的地学应用背景和方法

案例推理 (CBR)研究 ,是人类认知的一种合理性模型 ,接近于人类认识、解决问题最原始的思维方式 ,具有在无法获取机理模型、确定规则或统计模型时 ,采用简单的历史相似性推理实现问题的定量求解和预测 ,成为人工智能领域近年来的研究热点。